29. Tasha
CHAPTER 29
Tasha
I took Monday off work and called my assistant coach to run the high school cheer practice so that I could sit with Penny all day and reply to Xavier’s incessant texting when she was napping. He wanted to fly home, but she insisted he save his “baby daddy requests” for later in the pregnancy. The hospital released her around dinnertime, and I decided to stay with her overnight at their house.
I was late to work on Tuesday, but no one minded. I eased their minds on Penny’s recovery, and by the time I’d left, the whole town was updated and praying for my sister.
I ended the high school team practice early and couldn’t get to the Plex fast enough. I needed to burn off my stress, so as soon as I was stretched, I headed straight for the tumble mats and trampolines.
Monty was there with Evan, working on the timing of his tumbling passes for our routine. I joined Monty at the edge of the mat to watch Evan take off. His sequence was extraordinary. Monty had choreographed fifteen seconds of cross-mat tumbling that included eighteen flips, ten twists, and five punchbacks.
“He’s going to break your record,” I warned Monty. “You sure you don’t want to get into the routine to defend it?”
“He’s not even close. My Team USA pass was eight seconds longer, and no one’s come close since.”
“Don’t get too cocky, old man. Another year or so, and someone’s bound to pass you.”
“Are you challenging me?”
I shrugged. “Do you feel challenged?”
“I do, actually.” He waved Evan over when he finished his sequence. “Stand with Tasha while I prove I’m still the best.”
This was going to be fun to watch.
“What’s he doing?” Evan asked.
“Version 3.0 of the pass that won Team USA gold three years in a row.”
“No way! He can still do that?”
“We’ll see, won’t we?”
Monty stalked to the corner of the mat, turned his nose up at us, and took off. He could be annoying, but he wasn’t a liar. He was the best.
“Twenty-five flips, sixteen twists, eight punchbacks. Perfect form on the layouts. He sets a high bar.” How much more could he do? Seeing him tumble like this made me want to challenge him more, push him to his ultimate limits.
Monty didn’t just tumble and bounce and twist. He flew. His taut muscles flowed into one elegant move after another until he stuck the landing with the same ease he had when he stepped up to the counter to order a drink at the Coffee Loft.
“We need him on the team. Why doesn’t he compete?” Evan asked .
“He’s already won all the titles. He likes coaching. And the Ridgie the bear gig isn’t optimal for team practices. He’s only missed a handful. And he can do that.”
Monty finished the tumbling pass with a flourish and aimed a smirk at me. He bowed deeply to the audiences on the mats and up in the balcony who’d begun cheering him on when they noticed who it was and what he was doing.
“You don’t need him, Evan. This team can win without him showing off.” I held my hand up to high-five Monty as he jogged back.
“Still got it!” His hand slapped mine. “You were saying?”
“Great job.” I grinned. “Now that you’re warmed up, wanna throw some partner stunts? You’ve inspired me.”
He looked up at the clock. “Evan’s got three minutes left.”
“I yield that time to Coach Tasha,” he said. “Want me to spot?”
“Sure,” I said. “Go do that pass two more times while I warm up on the tramp.”
“Yes, Coach!”
“What do you want to work on today?” Monty asked.
“I was thinking about trying the partner sequence that leads into the pyramid. The Showcase is four days away, and they’re all still wobbling in the same spot. I want to feel it, see if I can figure out why it’s not coming together smoothly, and figure out a way to modify it without throwing the count off.”
“Sounds fun.”
I practiced the sequence on the trampoline. Monty and Evan watched me intently the entire time, which encouraged me to be even sharper and land as clean as I could. I didn’t want to mess up or fall, especially after Monty had just proven he was still in his top form.
I didn’t have any trouble with the flips, twists or kickouts, but I did have an issue during the part I’d referenced. I found myself hesitating a millisecond due to a blind spot.
“I think I figured it out!” I jumped down from the tramp and waved him onto the floor. “Evan, let me know what you think. Monty, you know how this goes, right?”
“I do. I’ve been working with Evan and Amelia on it. She wobbles in the same spot. Let’s do it!”
We got into position, and Monty tossed me up. Due to the blind spot, I wobbled just as the girls had been doing.
When I landed on the mat, I turned to the guys. “What if, instead of a full twist, we switch it out with a half and move the full to the beginning of the sequence. That’ll eliminate the blind spot and should make the rest of it flow.”
“That should work,” Evan said. “Let’s see it.”
Monty’s hands gripped my hips, and I was off. It felt good to be back up in the air. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it until he encouraged me to try it again.
“That looked great, Coach! I think it’s going to work.” Evan’s expression was sheer admiration.
That felt good, too.
Every athlete appreciated a coach who gave their all. This was my all, for now. But I was motivated, and I planned to encourage at least half of our athletes—the ones who were ready—to try out for Team USA.
I couldn’t stop smiling, and neither could Monty.
Evan left us with a warning. “If you two keep grinning like that, your Coach Monsha rep will be ruined.”
I laughed. “Noted.”
When Evan left, I asked Monty if he had dinner plans .
“I figured I’d hit the café in the main building. You?”
“I brought chicken curry stew. There’s enough to share if you want some.”
“Heck yeah! Thanks.”
Over dinner, Monty told me he planned to bring Nana by the Coffee Loft the next day.
“Pumpkin Spice Blah-te season is almost over, and she feels cheated. Even though you or I have brought her one almost daily since it was approved.”
“She knows we serve it year-round now, though. Right?”
“Yeah, Penny mentioned that when the management changed. But she likes the fall decor. Christmas stuff is already popping up around town. And Nana does not approve.”
“That’s true. And the music’s been on the radio for weeks.” An idea occurred to me. “You still have a friend at the print shop, right?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“If I send a design over, can you call and see if he can make a banner on short notice?” I put my spoon down and held my palms up. “Picture it. Welcome back, Nana Booboo!”
He laughed. “She would love that. I’ll bring her crown.”
“What time?” I asked. “It’s a game day, right?”
“It is. We could come in the morning.”
“Hmm. No. Let’s time it for just before Xavier comes in for his toffee coffee. More people, a few local hockey celebrities, and Penny will be there. She’s not working this week, but she’ll be in to make his good-luck coffee. You can still get to the arena on time, right? Or I could bring Nana home before I head to the high school.”
“That works. Great idea. She’s going to love it.”
“Good!” I stirred my stew. “It’s a plan. ”
“Spit and shake on it?”
“Ew, gross, no. What are you, four?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Only on the inside.”
I snort-laughed so deeply it triggered hiccups, which made me laugh harder. That set Monty laughing, and it took a while until we calmed down.
When the hiccups finally stopped, I wiped my eyes and shook my head. “You are too much.”
“Yeah, I am. But not for you, I hope?”
I looked up from my curry to find him staring intently at me, absent of his trademark cocky grin—a serious expression like the one from Saturday night, when he was describing how he’d kiss me if I was his girl.
The zing was back, firing like shooting stars all through me. For a moment, it even felt like I thought my heart stopped, then it shocked back to life with a grand finale of those zings. I definitely lost track of its beats, but then the pulse in my ears thrummed in earnest, and I realized my heart rate was actually sky-high.
“No,” I whispered. “You’re not too much for me. You’re just right.”